Pampanga fest’s goal is diversity

The third edition of CineKabalen film festival, mounted by young filmmaker Jason Paul Laxamana who directed the Kapampangan film “Babagwa” for this year’s Cinemalaya, is set tomorrow, 1 to 6 p.m., at Cinema 6 of SM Pampanga in Angeles City.

“Babagwa” opens the festival, whose lineup consists of 12 narrative shorts. Awards night is on Dec. 6 at Holy Angel University in Angeles City.

Laxamana strongly feels that the Kapampangan voice should be heard in the telling of the Filipino story on film. “Instead of rejecting our diversity as a country,” Laxamana told the Inquirer, “we should embrace it. We can achieve genuine national unity only if we listen to the Filipinos’ many voices—Kapampangan, Bikol, Ilokano, Tagalog, Maranao, Ilonggo…”

He considers the case of Kapampangan cinema unique: “Among the non-Tagalogs in the country, it is the Kapampangans who live closest to the capital.”

A number of Kapampangan artists—from filmmakers Manuel Conde and Elwood Perez to actors Rogelio de la Rosa and Helen Gamboa—who earlier made a dent in the industry were “absorbed and integrated into the Manila film scene,” Laxamana noted. But while Visayan and Mindanao cinema flourished—curiously because they were miles away from Manila, he said—Kabalen filmmakers had a tougher time.

His hope is that CineKabalen will cease to be an event “that encourages the production of Kapampangan films [and instead] become one that celebrates the proliferation of films from Pampanga and Tarlac.”

This year’s lineup: RJ Aguirre’s “Bala Ku Kasi” (I Thought); Deogenes Angeles Jr.’s “Batak” (Circumcise); Brianne Amparado’s “Cabatingan” (To Lose Something); Petersen Vargas’ “Coup de Grace” (Blow of Mercy); Bor Ocampo’s “Ing Guinu Mu” (Only God Knows) ; Clarklouis Sanchez’s “Kumpisal” (Confession); Carlo Catu’s “Matwang Dalaga” (Old Maid); Brian Mamawan’s “Pabanglu” (Perfume); Tin Velasco and Deng David’s “Ing Pusta” (The Bet); Jonathan David’s “Sulat” (Letter); Jasper Tulabot’s “Tage” (Shot); and Kirby Araullo’s “Ing Mutya ning Kakung Paninap” (The Muse in My Dreams). The filmmakers are aged 17 to 28.

Most of the films tackle young romance. Laxamana is optimistic that stories of entries in the next years will move “from the personal to the social.”